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The Local Government Ombudsman’s 
Annual Letter 
Leeds City Council 
for the year ended
31 March 2008
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO)
provides a free, independent and impartial
service. We consider complaints about the
administrative actions of councils and some
other authorities. We cannot question what a
council has done simply because someone
does not agree with it. If we find something has
gone wrong, such as poor service, service
failure, delay or bad advice, and that a person
has suffered as a result, the Ombudsmen aim
to get it put right by recommending a suitable
remedy. The LGO also uses the findings from
investigation work to help authorities provide
better public services through initiatives such
as special reports, training and annual letters.
 
 
 
 


 
Annual Letter 2007/08 - Introduction
 
This annual letter provides a summary of the complaints received about Leeds City Council and
comments on the authority’s performance and complaint-handling arrangements. 
 
I hope that the letter will assist you in improving services by providing a useful perspective on how
some people who are dissatisfied experience or perceive your services. 
 
Two attachments form an integral part of this letter:  statistical data covering a three year period and a
note to help the interpretation of the statistics.
 
Complaints received
 
Volume
Last year 275 complaints were received against the Council, 20% fewer than during the previous year,
(343).    
 
Character
As in previous years the single largest category of complaint was housing.  However, the number of
such complaints fell by nearly a third from 121 to 84.  Complaints about education reduced from 34 to
26; complaints about transport and highways from 28 to 17; and social services complaints were
roughly halved from 21 to 11.  There were marginally more complaints about planning and building
control which rose from 52 to 65 with some grouped complaints about the same matter.
 
Liaison with the Local Government Ombudsman
 
Last year the Council took a little longer to respond to initial enquiries than it had during the previous
year.  With an average of 31 calendar days it still lies just outside the target time of 28 calendar days. 
 
Liaison arrangements between the Council’s and my office have improved considerably following a
series of meetings.  I note the commitment demonstrated by the Council to improving its performance,
and am confident that there will be sustained improvement.  
 
Decisions on complaints
 
Last year decisions were taken upon 310 complaints, slightly fewer than in the previous year (327). 
Over a third of these (107) were premature – ie the Council had not yet had a proper chance to
consider and respond to the complaint.  This was notably more than in the previous year (82).  A
further 23 complaints were outside my jurisdiction, a similar number to the previous year.  I
discontinued my enquiries because there was insufficient evidence of maladministration in 74
complaints, and exercised my discretion not to pursue enquiries in 37 cases.  
 
Reports and local settlements
 
We will often discontinue enquires into a complaint when a council takes or agrees to take action that
we consider to be a satisfactory response – we call these local settlements. In 2007/08 the Local
Government Ombudsmen determined 27% of complaints by local settlement (excluding ‘premature’
complaints and those outside our jurisdiction).  
 
I discontinued enquiries into 68 complaints on this basis.  These included a number of complaints
about the Council’s failure to respond effectively to reports of anti-social behaviour.  Our enquiries
revealed that there was serious cause for concern about the management, supervision and working
practice of some officers.  The Council responded positively to these concerns; established new
 

arrangements and showed such determination to correct the problems that I was able to discontinue
enquiries without issuing a public report.  The situation needs to be monitored to ensure that the
improvement is sustained 
 
In another case, the Council had failed to determine properly the complainant’s resources and,
therefore, to properly assist with paying for residential care home fees.  The Council had failed to
consider relevant factors, failed to communicate properly with the complainant, and failed to make
decisions properly.  In recognition of these failings the Council agreed to pay the complainant
£12,000.
 
If an investigation is completed I issue a public report.  Last year I issued a report about a disabled
facilities grant.  My investigation showed that for two years longer than was necessary, a seriously ill
and profoundly disabled woman was confined to her bed in the front living room of her home, unable
to use a special wheelchair provided by the NHS that would have relived her pain and discomfort,
unable to use a toilet, bath or shower and strip washed on her bed by her carers, and unable to sit
outside or with her family.   The Council responded positively to my findings; paid £6,605 in
recognition of the impact of its failings; has now made appropriate provisions to the family; and
reviewed its policies and practice. 
 
Training in complaint handling
 
Part of our role is to provide advice and guidance about good administrative practice. We offer training
courses for all levels of local authority staff in complaints handling and investigation. A detailed
evaluation of the training provided to councils over the past three years shows very high levels of
satisfaction. 
 
The range of courses is expanding in response to demand. In addition to Good Complaint Handling
(identifying and processing complaints) and Effective Complaint Handling (investigation and
resolution) we now offer these courses specifically for social services staff and a course on reviewing
complaints for social care review panel members.  We will customise courses to meet your Council’s
specific requirements and provide courses for groups of staff from different smaller authorities.
 
Participants benefit from the complaint-handling knowledge and expertise of the experienced
investigators who present the courses. 
 
I enclose information on the full range of courses available together with contact details for enquiries
and any further bookings.  
 
LGO developments
 
We launched the LGO Advice Team in April, providing a first contact service for all enquirers and new
complainants. Demand for the service has been high. Our team of advisers, trained to provide
comprehensive information and advice, have dealt with many thousands of calls since the service
started. 
 
The team handles complaints submitted by telephone, email or text, as well as in writing. This new
power to accept complaints other than in writing was one of the provisions of the Local Government
and Public Involvement in Health Act, which also came into force in April.  Our experience of
implementing other provisions in the Act, such as complaints about service failure and apparent
maladministration, is being kept under review and will be subject to further discussion.  Any feedback
from your Council would be welcome.
 
Last year we published two special reports providing advice and guidance on ‘applications for prior
approval of telecommunications masts’ and ‘citizen redress in local partnerships’.  Feedback on
special reports is always welcome. I would particularly appreciate information on complaints protocols
in the governance arrangements of partnerships with which your Council is involved.  
 

 
Conclusions and general observations
 
I welcome this opportunity to comment on our experience of complaints about the Council over the
past year.  I hope that you find the information and assessment provided useful when seeking
improvements to your Council’s services.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anne Seex
Local Government Ombudsman
Beverley House
17 Shipton Road
YORK
YO30 5FZ
 
June 2008
 
 
Enc: 
Statistical data
Note on interpretation of statistics
Leaflet on training courses (with posted copy only)
 
 

LOCAL AUTHORITY REPORT -  Leeds City C
For the period ending  31/03/2008
Complaints received 
Adult care 
Benefits
Children 
Education
Housing
Other
Planning & 
Public 
Social 
Transport 
Total
by subject area   
services
and family 
building 
finance
Services - 
and 
services
control
other
highways
7
6
4
26
84
57
65
9
0
17
275
01/04/2007  -  
31/03/2008

2006 / 2007
14
5
7
34
121
78
52
4
0
28
343
2005 / 2006
13
11
12
79
127
54
61
5
2
18
382
Note: these figures will include complaints that were made prematurely to the Ombudsman and which we referred back to the authority for consideration.
Outside
Premature
Total excl 
Decisions
MI reps
LS
M reps
NM reps
No mal
Omb disc
Total 
jurisdiction
complaints
premature
01/04/2007 - 31/03/2008
 1
 68
 0
 0
 74
 37
 23
 107
 203
 310
2006 / 2007
 1
 86
 0
 0
 91
 40
 27
 82
 245
 327
2005 / 2006
 5
 84
 0
 0
 136
 38
 18
 97
 281
 378
See attached notes for an explanation of the headings in this table.
 
        Average local authority response times 01/04/2007 to 31/03/2008  
 

FIRST ENQUIRIES
Response times
Types of authority 
<= 28 days  29 - 35 days  > = 36 days 
No. of First
Avg no. of days    



 Enquiries
to respond
District Councils  
56.4 
24.6 
19.1 
01/04/2007 - 31/03/2008
Unitary Authorities  
41.3 
50.0 
  8.7 
 120
 31.1
Metropolitan Authorities 
58.3 
30.6 
11.1 
2006 / 2007
 153
 28.9
County Councils  
47.1 
38.2 
14.7 
London Boroughs  
45.5 
27.3 
27.3 
2005 / 2006
 198
 32.2
National Park Authorities  
71.4 
28.6 
0.0 
 
Printed: 08/05/2008  11:23